02:15 PM EST on Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Frank the Moderator: Greetings all. Please feel free to submit questions early, Kevin will jump in and begin answering them as soon as he logs in later today at 1 p.m.

Samdaddy: The Associated Press story today about the NCAA hating the gambling aspect of March Madness seems a bit disingenuous. Without the gambling interest of casual and non-fans, there's no way the tournament would get the TV ratings and advertising dollars it currently receives. Agree?
Kevin McNamara: Hello everyone. I'm looking forward to answering as many questions as I can over the next hour or so. Here are a few groundrules. I will not pick winners of games with point spreads. I want to be paid for my Tout expertise. Also, I'd like anyone to post info on the types of NCAA pools they are joining this week. As for the AP story on gambling, I think sports and gambling are forever linked and the BKB tourney is as great a gambling event as any. The NCAA hates this but has no chance to stop it. I read a story in The Journal today where a room at Mandalay Bay this week in Vegas goes for $300. And they're sold out.

Samdaddy: Call me a curmudgeon, but hasn't this play-in game concept run its course? It hasn't mitigated the snub factor any.
Kevin McNamara: I don't mind the play-in game. It gives those smaller conferences a chance to play in March. If it didn't happen, the bigger conferences would just tell the MEAC's and the SWAC's and the Southlands that they don't belong in their tournament.

Samdaddy: Paul Kenyon's story today on the coaches with ties to Rhode Island was great. Which of the six do you think will fare best over the next two weeks?
Kevin McNamara: On to the NCAA's. I think the RI ties story was great. Louisville and Rick Pitino have the best chance to go far. The Cards are playing well and if they keep shooting the 3 (like all Pitino teams) well, they can hit the Final 4. After a tough 2nd round game (GTech-GWashington), the Cards can beat Washington in the Sweet 16. That's if the Huskies get that far.

Friar1: First and Foremost, what do you think is the status of Tim Welsh?
Kevin McNamara: Here's a PC response. Tim Welsh and his team certainly had a disappointing season but with 3 years left on his contract, he's going nowhere. The Friars were in the NCAA T last year and are not the type of program to expect to go every year, or every other year for that matter. Getting back to that status will be tough in the larger Big East. But that is Welsh's challenge.

Friar1: Gillen resigned at Virginia...bring him back to PC?
Kevin McNamara: Sad to see Pete not do well at UVa. He's a very nice man and a good coach, I feel. He won't be back here. He may not coach again. He'd be great at ESPN, much better than windbags like Digger Phelps.

Samdaddy: Which team is your favorite potential Cinderella?
Kevin McNamara: Watch out for Alabama-Birrmingham. And Pacific. And New Mexico. Remember, the Sweet 16 will ALWAYS have 2 seeds of 8 or higher.

Gerry: Bentley-Bryant???
Kevin McNamara: Going to that game tonight. Looking forward to it. The winner goes to the D-2 Final 8. Should be fun. I like the Bulldogs and John Williams, the best college guard in Rhode Island.

Browndogg: Do you think the Friars will ever be able to compete with the new Big East?
Kevin McNamara: The Friars in the new Big East will struggle to get into the top 8. That said, this league will deserve 8-10 NCAA bids every year. Whether the committee awards that many is another question. We'll see. But the Friars can compete for a bid if the Big East is getting 8-10 a year.

Samdaddy: Little NIT talk for you: What's your take on Cheney being allowed to coach Temple in the NIT?
Kevin McNamara: I hate the NIT. Let me start with that. The NCAA needs to expand its tourney, to either 128 teams or maybe 96 where the top 32 get byes and the next 64 play off to get into the main 64-team draw. Just an idea. That said, Chaney should be forced to reitre in the off-season. His time has come.

Friar1: Who will be the top new team in the big east next year?
Kevin McNamara: Louisville will be the best new Big East team. They are loaded in the younger classes and Pitino is an outstanding recruiter with even more to offer coming to the Big East. They'll instantly be right up there with UConn-Syracuse-Pittsburgh. Cincinnati will always be good, too.

Samdaddy: The Big 12 (and its fans, especially) rank their conference as the toughest in the country. How would you rank the conferences this year, and do you see it changing next year with all the ACC, Big East and other shifting going on?
Kevin McNamara: The ACC is the best conference for this time of year because leagues are now measured by Sweet 16 and Final 4 entries. I can't see UNC, Duke and Wake NOT making the Sweet 16. I see the Big East as 1A, or 2. UConn and Syracuse have Final 4 potential. The Big 12's best team is Okla State. I am not a Kansas or Texas guy this year.

Frank the Moderator: How about the other team in RI. How well will the URI basketball team perform next year?
Kevin McNamara : The Rams were ravaged by injuries but will be back with much more talent next year. Dawan Robinson and Jamal Wise are big addition with Dawan potentially the best guard in the A-10. The recruits are supposed to be solid, too. Jimmy Baron will be a nice addition. He has Joey Hassett-type range.

Dex50: Kevin, are you still as high on Uconn as you were prior to the BET? My dream matchup for the Nat Chamionship is Pitino vs Calhoun....no love lost there!
Kevin McNamara: I think UConn has the best chance of any Big East team to go far in the NCAA's. They have a big time coach (Calhoun) and a good group of seasoned winners. As far as Louisville, I don't see them going to win it all. Not enough good big men.

Samdaddy: I saw in another article in the Journal today that a writer was picking Gonzaga to win it all. What other West Coast teams that we've never seen could make some noise?
Kevin McNamara: You need to see Gonzaga. They are very good. But they are not Final 4 good. Don't have the guards that they've had in previous years. I think Gonzaga and Pacific are the two under-the-radar type teams that can win a few games, for sure.
Kevin McNamara: I think both Gonzaga and Pacific can make some noise. They can be Sweet 16, Elite 8 level teams.

Samdaddy: Can Al Skinner get BC out of its end-of-season funk?
Kevin McNamara: BC received a tough seed (4) but will win its opening round game over Penn. The 2nd round game against Alabama, most likely, will be tough. I think the Crimson Tide will be a tough out.

Friar1: Will the new teams coming into the big east be able to adjust to the physical style of play? I get the sense they are more run and gun which is not good news for PC as you mentioned.
Kevin McNamara: Excellent point on adjusting to the new style. I think that is definitely an issue and it could take a while for the 5 teams to adjust. Except Cincinnati. They play Big East style already. More importantly, it'll be interesting to see if Louisville and Marquette can run and gun in the Big East.

Dex50: Local recruting questions...Do yo see Joey Mazzula as a BE PG? And how good is Rakim Sanders as a Sophomore at St Andrews?
Kevin McNamara: Joey Mazzula is a good, D-1 prospect but I am not sure he can play at the highets level. I don't think any local kid should play at PC or URI if they can't actually play. That could be an issue for Mazzulla. More importantly, the Friars will bring in 2 point guards for next year. That would make bringing in another one the following year (Mazzulla) too many. As for URI, he's better than some of the PG's they have right now. Rakim Sanders is a differnet story. He can play at PC, URI or anywhere in this srea. Maybe even play anywhere in the country.

Frank the Moderator: Kevin -- what are you working on for The Journal during the tourneys. Will you be traveling to any of the sites.
Kevin McNamara: We will cover the Worcester site extensively over the next few days. Jim Donaldson and Bill Reynolds are writing and Paul Kenyon has a few features in the works as well. Hope you all enjoy.

Friar1: New league will make Wednesday and Thursday better at the Big East tournament. Any clue on the format? Can't do 8 games on Wedneday..right?
Kevin McNamara: The 16-team Big East will have a 12-team tourney. Bottom 4 teams do not come to New York. The 12 will play in the usual format with 4 teams earning byes and 8 teams playing Wednesday.

Friar1: Whatever happened to Fast Eddy Jameel (spelling?)
Kevin McNamara: Fast lives in Bristol with his wife. He has his Kentucky championship rings and lots of memories.

Frank the Moderator: thank Kevin. Great stuff.
Kevin McNamara: Thanks everyone for posting today. Enjoy the tournament. It's a great time of year.

Frank the Moderator: Thanks to everyone for joining in. We hope to have Kevin back soon. Stay tuned.